Industry Corruption in Systematic Review for Injectable Antipsychotics
Researchers highlight how systematic reviews are compromised by pharmaceutical industry ties by exposing a study of injectable antipsychotics.
Pfizer Settles Chantix Lawsuit: Keeps CEO Off the Stand
One week before its court date, Pfizer settled with plaintiff Billy G. Bedsole Jr., who claims that Chantix triggered his suicidal thoughts and other...
Initial Trial of Ayahuasca for Depression Shows Promising Results
Ayahuasca found to be effective in treating moderate to severe depression in low-income population.
Prolonged Negative Impacts of Benzodiazepine Use Revealed in New Study
Researchers find that adverse effects often last over a year, with many users experiencing substantial life changes.
Racial Discrimination Associated With Psychotic Symptoms
A study of 650 immigrant and racial & ethnic minority young adults in the United States finds that psychotic symptoms are significantly correlated with...
Report Calls For Policy Changes In Response To Dependence and Withdrawal From Prescribed Drugs
Statistics from the UK reveal that prescriptions for painkillers and antidepressants continue to rise despite concerns over dependence and debilitating withdrawal effects. The British Medical Association (BMA) Board of Science has released a report that acknowledges changes to medical practice, research and policy necessary for addressing the dependence and withdrawal effects of benzodiazepines, opioids, and antidepressants.
Suicide Warning on Antidepressant Label is Justified, Researchers Say
Researchers confirm that the suicide warning for antidepressants is justified by the evidence and that claims that the warning is harmful lack support.
Common Sleep Aid Linked to Doubling of Parkinson’s Risk
The nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic zolpidem, widely used as a sleep aid under many different brand names such as Ambien and Sublinox, seems to be linked...
SSRI Use During Pregnancy Alters the Child’s Brain Development
Reduced brain volumes due to SSRI exposure in pregnancy was not explained by maternal depression alone.
Antidepressant Use More Than Doubles Risk of Suicide Attempts
Throughout the past two decades, studies have warned of increased suicide rates in those taking antidepressants, especially in children and adolescents. Researchers also documented...
More Than 60% of Female Inmates in Canadian Prisons are Prescribed Psychiatric Medication
The average rate of female prisoners in Canada's prison system who receive psychiatric medication has jumped from 42% in 2001 to over 60% today,...
New Zealand Asks: “How is Your Antidepressant Working For You?”
Researchers at Auckland University have launched a study that "positions the people who are prescribed antidepressants as the experts" and which aims at asking...
Former Drug Reviewer Speaks Out About FDA Failures
TruthOut interviews a former drug reviewer for the Center For Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA, who says the center "placed the nation...
SSRIs and Benzodiazepines Associated with Problems in Infants
Infants exposed to SSRIs and benzodiazepines during pregnancy show impaired neurologic functioning in the first month after birth, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. While infants exposed SSRIs alone showed neurobehavioral effects throughout the first month, those exposed to an SSRI and a benzodiazepine had more significant problems.
Psychotropics Drive Record 4.02 Billion U.S. Prescriptions in 2011
With drugs for ADHD increasing 17%, and an "unprecedented increase in patients taking antidepressants and antipsychotics," overall prescription drug sales in the United States...
U.S Behavioral Research Studies Skew Toward Positive Results
Researchers from the Universities of Stanford and Edinburgh found, in a comparison of 1,174 primary outcomes from 82 meta-anlyses of biological and behavioral research,...
Transgender Children Development Consistent with Current Gender, Not Sex Assigned at Birth
Transgender children show strong identification and preferences stereotypically associated with their current gender identities, not their sex assigned at birth.
Meaning in Life Linked With Health, Cognitive Functioning
A new study associates the presence of meaning in life with well-being and cognitive functioning in an adult population.
Nominee to Lead FDA Removed Name From Recent Publications
Sheila Kaplan for the Boston Globe reports that Dr. Robert Califf, the Obama administration's nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has removed his name from a series of scientific papers that he recently coauthored. The decision to remove his name, against publication ethics standards, has brought Califf under renewed criticism.
How Social Dynamics at School Impact Teen Suicide
Teen suicide risk is influenced by relationships with adults and teachers, perceived popularity, close friendships, and school connectedness.
SSRIs in Pregnancy Linked to Early Depression in Children
A new study finds that prenatal exposure to antidepressant drugs, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs, is associated with higher rates of...
Antipsychotics Often Prescribed Without Informed Consent
New research reveals that patients are often not given fully informed consent before being prescribed antipsychotics.
Researchers Propose Study to Test Whether Antidepressants Impede Recovery
Evolutionary theorists suggest that antidepressants interfere with the adaptive function of depression and propose a test of this theory.
New IRIS Guidelines for Early Intervention in Psychosis
The 'Initiative to Reduce the Impact of Schizophrenia" (IRIS) has updated its 1998 guidelines for early intervention in psychosis to state that not all people...
More Evidence Antipsychotics Reduce Brain Volume
People diagnosed with schizophrenia experience reductions in brain volume that increase over time, and the amount of those reductions increases in proportion to the...
